Murali fit for international cricket

Murali helps hand out aid © Getty Images Enlarge

Muttiah Muralitharan has declared himself fit enough for his return to international cricket during the tsunami charity match at Melbourne on Monday after a five-month layoff following shoulder surgery.

Muralitharan will play despite being short of match practice having bowled just 10 overs in a secret practice match against Sri Lanka Under-19s just before Christmas. He was due to play again on December 28, but the game was abandoned after the disaster.

"The recovery has been going well and, although I am about 80 percent fit at present, I'm determined to take part in this match, which will hopefully raise millions of dollars worth of much-needed aid," Muralitharan said. "Our island and all the other nations affected by this terrible disaster need these funds desperately to provide emergency aid in the short term and also to start rebuilding for the future."

Muralitharan, who pulled out of Sri Lanka's last scheduled tour to Australia in July after Prime Minister John Howard labeled him a "chucker", will leave for Melbourne on Saturday with Marvan Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Chaminda Vaas.

Since narrowly escaping the massive waves that have so far killed 30,000 people in Sri Lanka, Muralitharan has not bowled a single ball, concentrating completely on humanitarian work with the World Food Programme and his own charity called the Muralidaran-Gunasekera Foundation.